© Ricardo Bufolin

SOFIA, Bulgaria (September 15, 2022) – After two days of qualifications at Arena Armeec, 2020 Olympians Evita Griskenas (Orland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center) and Lili Mizuno (Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center) are through to Saturday’s all-around final at the 2022 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Griskenas advanced in the 15th position with a three-apparatus 89.400, while Mizuno’s 89.000 slotted in 16th. Griskenas finished 12th on ribbon Thursday with a 29.050 and was 26th on clubs (28.050). Mizuno took 14th on clubs with a 29.350 and was 31st on ribbon (26.700).

Italy’s Sofia Raffaeli led all-around qualifiers with a cumulative 98.850 and secured the ribbon title with a 32.650. Germany’s Darja Varfolomeev topped the clubs podium with a 33.550.

Griskenas and Mizuno will compete with the first of two groups Saturday, beginning at 7:45 a.m. ET.

The U.S. Senior National Group, which for this event is comprised of Gergana Petkova (Barrington, Ill.), Katrine Sakhnov (Glencoe, Ill.), Karolina Saverino (Elk Grove Village, Ill.), Hana Starkman (Deerfield, Ill.) and Emily Wilson (Brooklyn, N.Y.), will take the floor Friday morning as the group all-around competition gets under way in Sofia. They will show five hoops and three ribbons and two balls with Group A, beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET.